Suraj Dinesh Shah » Silence

Overcoming Distractions with Awareness

Suraj — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 13:41:20 +0000

Why does life get so overwhelming?

We try so hard to do the right thing, follow the right path, and make soulful progress, yet it feels like the world around us is doing everything in it’s power to trip us up.

Occasionally we get a forwarded email that is precisely what we need to read that day.

I was blessed to receive such an email today. The source is unknown but the message is essential. It mentions Satan vs. God, but you could easily exchange these with paap (deluding and destructive karma) vs. Atma (the Soul and it’s nature of abundant, infinite and eternal good and happiness).

Use the message to build your awareness about the distractions and hurdles we face in our Soul’s evolution and through that awareness how to conquer the ‘Devil’s Plans’.

Let me know how you get on…

—

SATAN’S MEETING!

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.

In his opening address he said,

“We can’t keep people from going to pray.”

“We can’t keep them from reading their holy books and knowing the truth.”

“We can’t even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their God “.

“Once they gain that connection with GOD, our power over them is broken.”

“So let them go to their prayers; let them have their covered dish
Dinners,BUT steal their time, so they don’t have time to develop a
Relationship with GOD..”

“This is what I want you to do,” said the devil:

“Distract them from gaining hold of their GOD and maintaining that
Vital connection throughout their day!”

“How shall we do this?” his demons shouted.

“Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable
Schemes to occupy their minds,” he answered.

“Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow.”

“Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles.”

“Keep them from spending time with their children.”

“As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!”

“Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice.”

”Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive.” To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-religious music constantly.”

“This will jam their minds and break that union with God.”

“Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.”

“Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day.”

“Invade their driving moments with billboards.”

“Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering
Free products, services and false hopes..”

“Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what’s important, and they’ll become dissatisfied with their wives.

“Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night.”

“Give them headaches too! “

“If they don’t give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere.”

“That will fragment their families quickly!”

“Give them distractions to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of life.”

“Even in their recreation, let them be excessive.”

“Have them return from their recreation exhausted.”

“Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God’s creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays,
Concerts, and movies instead.”

“Keep them busy, busy, busy!”

“And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. “

“Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from GOD.”

“Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause.”

“It will work!”

It was quite a plan!

The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing people everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.

Having little time for their God or their families.

Having no time to tell others about the power of GOD to change lives.

I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?

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Alternatives to Mealtimes in Front of the TV

Suraj — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:41:42 +0000

When a bachelor friend recently visited us, he was saying how, even though he’s bought a dining table and chairs, he has most of his meals in front of the TV.

Until recently, Heena and I have spent most of our mealtimes glued to the TV set too. Such a convenient distraction from life, and a shameful waste of valuable time.

It got me thinking about alternatives to the television during mealtimes either alone or with a partner:

- have a conversation at the dining table
- learn about each others’ day
- picnic in the garden or local park
- eating slowly paying full attention to each mouthful
- listening to music
- listening to inspirational audio
- reading a book
- reading a magazine
- writing lyrics to a song
- writing a blog post
- looking through a photo album
- watching a slideshow of treasured memories on a digital photo frame

Which of the above do you already enjoy doing? What alternatives would you suggest?

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Let Simple Be The Mantra

Suraj — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:59:28 +0000

In a recent blog post by Chris Brogan, titled Simplify and Package the Sale, he stated “Let simple be the mantra. Make your contracts brief, small, simple. Make your projects short, finite, and clear. Make your deliverables obvious, simple, and measurable.”

Simplicity in thought, speech and action with everything we do is becoming incredibly important in a world where our diaries are blocked out to the max doing things that we think would make us happy, but where we are in fact squeezing away time to do the very things that will serve us long-term.

Simplicity in thought comes about through reflecting on the nature of the world around us, just how impermanent it all is, and seeking out the source of abundant bliss within.

Simplicity in speech shines through when we hear of wise people who neither speak without being asked nor interrupt when another person is speaking.

Simplicity in action is the ability to perform our everyday duties and rising above all the elements that are pleasing or displeasing to our senses. Having taken care of these simple everyday duties, our time and focus can be put towards seeking fulfilment from the treasury within.

Through simplicity, in all it’s forms, we make life a process of purification. How does simplicity apply in your life right now? What can you simplify to support your quest for permanent happiness?

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Music Is Just A Frame For Silence

Suraj — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:26:57 +0000

In Kavit Haria’s most recent post on No Pauses, he writes about how he has put more gaps into his presentations, therefore allowing the audience some space to absorb what he has just shared. As Kavit writes, “Good music and good communication is exactly the same, they both contain changes of pace, pauses, and full rests.”

Well Kavit, it’s true that music is just a frame for silence. Without gaps between the notes, music would just be noise! It’s those stunning silent moments that create works of such beauty.

Definitely slow down, create more gaps in music, in speech, in life. Use those gaps to think, reflect, and embrace the opportunity to serve your listener better.

Even in life, make the most of gaps between activities to ensure that every single thought, spoken word or action is purposeful and playful.

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Clear As A Mountain Lake

Suraj — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:55:31 +0000

“The mind becomes as clear as a mountain lake at dawn, perfectly mirroring its surroundings, and at the same time revealing its depths to those who look more closely. When this clarity comes, every moment is full of affirmation, beauty, and peace.”Clarity of mind is one of the outcomes of the Vipassana meditation technique.

For more on the technique, visit http://www.dhamma.org, or get hold of “The Art of Living | Vipassana Meditation | As Taught By S. N. Goenka”, a book by William Hart, ISBN 81-7414-008-5.

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Gandhi on Silence

Suraj — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:36:16 +0000

In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.

Mahatma Gandhi
Indian ascetic & nationalist leader (1869 – 1948)

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Silence, the Vipassana way

Suraj — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:53:19 +0000

One of the greatest tools I have within reach that I use consistently in my life is the power of silence.

Throughout any Monday, from just after the 59th second of 11.59pm on a Sunday evening till the moment I wake up on Tuesday morning, I enter a mode of “speechlessness”. Monday is my day for becoming quiet, whilst getting on with the flow of life from an observational angle. Really, it’s just an opportunity to listen more intently…

Next month, from Wednesday November 15th, I’m taking this practise of silence to the next level where I will “indulge” in a 10-day stretch of non-speaking, and just observing my thoughts. Based at the Dhamma Dipa Vipassana meditation centre in Herefordshire (west of England), I will be entering a process of self-purification by self-observation.

Vipassana, meaning to “see things as they really are”, aims for the complete elimination of toxic thoughts, and works towards complete liberation, a state of moksha where we experience abundant, infinite, eternal bliss. As you know, your thoughts determine the words you speak, which transform into your actions and in turn what is attracted into your life.
Read more about Vipassana Meditation at:

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Speech-less

Suraj — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:00:45 +0000

Sol, silent…

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